Alabama has been cooking up incredible culinary creations for centuries. From Alabama Gulf Seafood to everything else that you might call “Southern” food, our state has always been at the forefront of the dinner table.

So when the folks down in Foley, Ala. decided to put together the first ever Alabama Festival of Flavor, it just made sense. Throughout the weekend of October 19-20, foodies from all over the globe are invited to head down to Baldwin County to sift through samples, dine on delicacies and discover the taste of the territory.

The festival will take place in downtown Foley’s historic Heritage Park. Events will include live cooking competitions between restaurants from the area, demonstrations from heralded local chefs, crash courses on food and wine pairings, tips on how to create your own home garden, and much more. The signature event will be the Farm to Table Dinner at the Chicago Street Supper Club on Friday night, which will include fresh, locally sourced cuisine as well as a pairing of wines from regional vineyards.

In celebration of Alabama’s coastal waters, Alabama Gulf Seafood will be served up throughout the weekend. Dishes will include head-on shrimp, lump crab meat, soft-shell crab, grouper filets, whole founder and more.

Other activities will include arts and crafts from street vendors, live performances, and a Children’s Village that will feature a number of entertaining activities for the younger crowd.

Aside from the Farm to Table Dinner, which is a ticketed event, the 1st Annual Alabama Festival of Flavor will be free to the public. For more information, visit Foley’s official website.